Photography

It's not done till it's printed.

Ansel Adams once said "The negative is the equivalent of the composer's score, and the print the performance." Anyone who's serious in photography would have made 100,000 exposures or more within the span of 5 years.

In this "Age of Instagram", countless images are made every day - some with more thought than others, most with a lot less. How many scores have we written and how many have been played and performed?

In close partnership with Ilford, Canon, Eizo, and supported by Broncolor SG and Cathay Photo, James has created this small-group 2-day printmaking workshop to guide those who are serious about the photography to the next level of the craft.

Master the Craft

You will learn to master the foundational concepts of digital image editing that is behind every single imaging software, enabling you to expertly navigate and use them in creation of your work.

Optimize Workflow

Having an incomplete understanding of the digital workflow which compromises image quality is one of the greatest problem photographers face today. Discover how to bring the most out of your equipment with the least guesswork.

Refine your Vision

Learn what makes a good image “good” from a Master Photographers Association Qualified Photography Judge, and how to connect with your personal unique creative vision.

Express your Art

“It’s the image that chooses its paper”. Learn about all the different types of fineart paper available and how to choose the best one to give life to your image.

Workshop Fee: SGD$800/pax

Limited to 10 participants. (4 seats remaining)

Course Outline:

Day 1

Understanding the digital workflow and color management - "a straight and narrow path with landmines on the sides"

Knowing your monitor and how to control it properly with calibration - moving from "P mode" to "M mode"

The foundation of all digital imaging - mastering the core concept that enables you to use all digital imaging softwares

James is one of the top printmakers in the Far East, being highly sought after by international artists and photographers.

Starting out in early 2000 as an apprentice in a commercial photography studio, James quickly rose through the ranks to be formally promoted to a full-fledged commercial photographer.

He became an Associate in the Master Photographers Association by way of double promotion in Architectural photography in 2007 and in 2 years was awarded MPA’s Fellowship Rank as the first and only Certified Printmaker in the MPA, a special honor created for him in recognition of his contribution and mastery in the craft.

Following that, he was invited to be trained in qualifications and competition judging at the MPA HQ, and then went on to do the final judging of The MPA’s prestigious International Photography Competition. Later he was also invited to Las Vegas to judge in the WPPI Annual Print Competition.

His current role is the MPA Deputy Ambassador and Chair of Qualifications for the Far East region, helping to maintain and improve the quality of photographers through strict and careful guidance to its members and potential candidates on image making and business practices.

Hope to see you there!

Here's a slight modification I made to my Epson 11880 LFP a couple of months ago to allow me to view what's being printed a little bit better.

It's basically the inexpensive Ikea Ledberg lights stuck to the inside of the front cover.
Due to the size of the 11880, I needed 2 packs of the lights, which gave me a total of 6 strips, covering a length of 1.5m.

It's very good for spotting printing errors or flaking early in the printing stage. Those of you who print large pieces from rolls would know what I mean. Too many times have I spotted printing problems only after the problem area exits the printer from below the front cover. With this I've been able to save quite a bit of paper and ink from being wasted cuz I'm able to kill the print the moment I spot a problem.

Sometimes I ask myself am I on a regressive track? Cuz it seems like the more I learn, the less I feel I know, and eventually I'll get overwhelmed by the sheer realization that there's so much more to learn. I feel so small...
Today marks the end of my MPA qualifications and I'm so fortunate to be awarded a double promotion to become an Associate of the Master Photographer Association in the category of architectural photography.
The whole MPA concept and lifestyle feels so.. I dunno.. new? I was never a part of an association, much less a professional one. And these few weeks past, during the preparations for the exams really opened my eye to so many more aspects of photography that I somehow had been blind to all these years.
As of this moment I'm deeply intrigued by the complexities and the principles that lies behind the print, an area I have very much neglected in my photography before. Somehow things just start happening in a way that it all just fits together to allow me the opportunity to explore the art of creating the print..
I'm very very grateful to everyone who made it possible. thank you. you know who you are. =)

As it turned out I won in 2 categories - Industrial/Architecture and Travel / Landscapes
I know tho the whole selection process was a bit strange, the learning process I went thru as i was preparing the images was honestly very enriching. It helped me gain an understanding of composition and the interactions of the highlights and shadows within the picture to generate a complete image.
Honestly on hindsight, I did not know what the hell I was doing or thinking when I took these pictures, or 99% of the pictures I've taken in the past. Most of the framing and decision was subconscious. But I feel as I grow in the art, it becomes necessary to understand the mechanics that's hidden the psyche to be able to craft pictures and scenes that mere subconscious instincts cannot.
I thank you Ryan and William Ng for your kind mentorship and assistance. Without which, I would still be wallowing somewhere in the mud.. =)

Winning picture in the Industrial / Architecture category. Taken in Prague, Czech Republic.

Winning picture in the Travel / Landscape Category. Taken in Cana, Israel.